The countries of Southeast Asia are distinguished by their hospitality and pacification. But, unlike the highly developed Singapore , in other countries not all aspects of life look modern and comfortable. In Laos tourism is developing relatively recently, but the authorities of the country are trying to make the stay of travelers more comfortable and safe. Our article will help to understand such a question as the transport of Laos .
general information
Transport of Laos is poorly developed in comparison with the border neighbors. The main reasons for this are two:
- mountain landscape;
- consequences of the recent war.
Most residents of Laos and tourists use the services of buses, minibuses, classic tuk-tukami and local mode of transport - sontau (trucks with two benches in the back).
General recommendation for all tourists: the price of the trip in hired transport should be negotiated before you moved from the place. There is no general price for taxi services or tuk-tuk. Even if you move within the same city, the price can be very different. In the capital of Laos, Vientiane, taxi rankings are located near the Wattay Airport , the Morning Bazaar and the Friendship Bridge .
There is no traffic police in Laos, but do not forget to follow the rules of the road.
Railway transport
The terrain does not allow railway transport to actively develop and occupy leading positions in the transportation of passengers and cargo. In Laos, the section of the railroad track is very short, and tourists do not use it.
Since 2007, a branch has emerged connecting Laos and Thailand through the Thai-Lao Friendship Bridge. The government plans to extend it 12 km to Vientiane. There is no common rail network for Laos with other neighboring states. Currently, work is underway to merge the border railway lines of Laos - Vietnam and Laos - China.
Car roads
The total length of motorways in Laos is 39.5 thousand km, of which only 5.4 thousand km are covered. Basically, this is the main highway connecting Laos with neighboring states. The movement of road transport in Laos is right-sided.
The Laos motorway network connects with Thailand through the first and second Bridges of Thai-Laotian friendship. Since 2009, the construction of the third bridge is underway, and in the grandiose plans of the governments of both countries to build the fourth bridge. Since 2008, there is a common highway with Chinese Kunming. Also, from Savannakhet to the Vietnamese border, a new direction was opened, significantly shortening the travel time at the intersection of Laos.
Motor transport
The bus service has recently become more quality, routes have been introduced more, the fleet is being updated, technical breakdowns are happening less and less. Bus routes run both in cities and between regions.
Sontau is used for short trips between villages, mainly in the northern part of Laos. This type of transport rides mainly along dirt roads.
Renting cars in Laos exists, but is poorly developed. Due to the poor quality of the roads, hourly rental and auto insurance are too large to use the car regularly and daily. In Vientiane, tourists are easier to catch a taxi, but in other cities because of their small size this is not possible. In any case, it is much easier to rent a bike, a bicycle, or sit in a tuk-tuk. The latter is the main wheeled vehicle in Laos.
Water transport
The main river of Laos is the Mekong, most rivers of the country belong to the basin of the main artery. According to 2012 estimates, the total length of waterways in Laos is 4.6 thousand km.
From November to March, water travel becomes the main mode of travel for many tourists who want to reduce contact with dusty roads. You can be offered boats, small ferries, motor boats. When choosing, consider the water level in the river. During the drought period, there are cases when water transport temporarily stops operating.
Aviation
The poverty of Laos did not affect the development of aviation. To date, there are 52 functioning airports in the country. But only 9 of them have asphalted runways. At Wattai International Airport, the lanes are over 2438 m long.
The main airports of Laos are in the cities of Vientiane, Luang Prabang and Paska. There are a lot of flights inside the country, but the ticket price is high enough, not every tourist can afford such luxury. The reason is simple: in Laos, there is only one carrier-monopolist - the national airline Lao Airlines.
Going on a trip to Laos, do not forget to bring drinking water and food: it's very expensive on the road. Also it is necessary to be reserved for patience, there are no high speeds on local dirt roads and serpentines.